SHIZUOKA, Japan -- A small sake brewery is trying to grab a slice of Japan's market for nonalcoholic drinks, which is taking off as more consumers choose to be sober for health or other personal reasons.
Shizuoka-based Sanwa Shuzo recently developed a new ingredient by extracting flavor components from sake kasu, or lees, the pressed rice mash that is left over at the end of the brewing process, after the sake is pressed from the fermenting mash. The company has mixed the ingredient with soda and other drinks to produce alcohol-free and low-alcohol beverages.
